There are two parts to preparing for a Cambridge exam. The more difficult part is to improve your English. Because the Cambridge exams are structured as a suite of tests at different skill levels, you can choose to take an exam which will be easy for you or an exam which will be more challenging. Every Cambridge exam is pass/fail, so choosing a challenging exam will put more pressure on you to prepare in advance. It is common for students to take more than one Cambridge exam, starting out with an easier level, then studying more and progressing to a more difficult one.
The second part of preparing to take a Cambridge exam is familiarizing yourself with your specific exam’s structure and scoring system. The pages on this site give you some information and you can get some information from Cambridge English, the exam makers, but you can also do more research online and take a practice test if you have the time and inclination.
Taking a Cambridge practice exam is a good way to get more comfortable with the types of questions you will be asked and the types of answers expected. You can buy practice exams from Cambridge English and you can find some practice tests online as well. You may also consider taking the EF SET English Certificate, which is free. It is designed differently than the Cambridge exams, but it is similarly rigorous and gives a score on the CEFR scale, so you can get a precise idea of how you would do on a Cambridge exam. In order to choose which Cambridge exam is the right level for your current English skills, you can take the short Cambridge placement test online.
If you need to pass a specific Cambridge exam for academic or professional reasons, a Cambridge exam preparation course is your best option. The teachers on these courses are highly familiar with each of the exams and can prepare you faster and more effectively than a general English teacher or than you studying by yourself. The course will be designed to improve the aspects of your English that will be tested on exam day, so there’s no time wasted. Cambridge exam courses all include practice tests as well, so you will get familiar with the test questions and learn how to pace yourself.
EF offers dedicated Cambridge exam preparation courses in many of its schools. An exam preparation course with EF will improve your English and familiarize you with the Cambridge exam you plan to take so you have the best chance of passing your exam on test day. Find out more about our Cambridge exam preparation courses abroad.